Reduced insertion force electrical connector

A multicontact electrical connector (2) comprises an insulating housing (4) defining a plurality of pairs of adjacent rows of contact receiving cavities (18 and 20). In the upper cavity (18) of the middle row of superposed pairs of cavities (18 and 20) is a shorter contact element (38), a longer contact element (36) being supported in the cavity (20) immediately therebelow. Each longer contact element (36) has a bowed contact surface (42) which is nearer to the mating face (12) the housing (4) than the bowed contact surface (42) of the shorter contact element (38). The contact surfaces (42) of the contact elements (36 and 38) lie in slots (6,8,10) for receiving respective contact members (74,76,78) of a mating connector (66). The contact surfaces (42) of the longer contact elements (36), which surfaces lie in the upper slot (6), are bowed in the opposite direction to the contact surfaces (42) of the longer contact elements (36), which contact surfaces lie in the middle slot (8), thereby to exert equal and opposite forces against the respective contact members (74 and 76). The contact surfaces (42) of the shorter contact elements (38) which contact surfaces are in the upper and middle slots (6 and 8) are similarly oppositely bowed. Lateral forces acting between the mating connectors (4 and 66) are thereby reduced and by virtue of the staggered arrangement of the contact surfaces (42) in each slot (6,8,10) the force needed to mate the connectors is also reduced.